Creating change at Truesdell EC, part VIII: Reflecting on success

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE.

Previous Series posts:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI
Part VII

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

The winner of the Truesdell Trojans “DC SCORES: Pick it Up!” trash cleanup competition was the third-grade class. The team kicked off their final lesson of the season delivering the prizes and goody bags to the third-grade classrooms before settling back in to reflect on all they had accomplished this spring.

“We picked up all the trash in the school and cleaned up the bathrooms,” said Kerwin V., age 10. “By picking up the trash, we made the school better.”

Kerwin’s sentiments were echoed by nearly all the students, who felt they had created real change at Truesdell by putting up posters and encouraging other students to pick up after themselves.

“I learned that it’s fun to pick up trash and that we can ask other people to help improve our community,” said Daniela P., age 9.

With such success from their service-learning project, the Trojans took the time to discuss not only what they learned this season but also what some of their favorite parts of the spring were.

“I liked when (janitor) Ms. Duckett came in and gave her presentation,” Daniela said.

Yocelyn M., age 10, said that her favorite memory was when everyone worked together to assemble prizes..

“I learned that it’s really important to start cleaning because it’s very important to take care of our school,” Yocelyn said.

The team spent their last day together answering reflection questions to help prompt discussion, and decorating the poster board they proudly displayed at the DC SCORES Jamboree! to show the other schools what their project was.

Overall, the Trojans put in a lot of hard work and effort into their project. They learned how to research a topic, make a plan and work together as a group to accomplish their goals. Their efforts not only taught them how to develop an action plan, but also left their school a cleaner and brighter place for everyone.

Creating change at Truesdell EC, part VII: Get to know the coaches

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE.

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

Just as DC SCORES soccer coaches help kids build their confidence on the field, DC SCORES writing coaches help kids become confident putting forth their thoughts on paper and then expressing them to others. Writing coaches teach their poet-athletes how their own words and efforts, especially when combined with their peers,' can create real change around them.

Truesdell Education Campus elementary writing coaches Cailin Eisele and Emily Adams are the guidance behind the Trojans’ schoolwide trash pickup service-learning project. Since late March, Cailin and Emily have let the Trojans take charge of the service-learning project, stepping in and providing guidance when necessary.

Cailin, who has been a writing coach for two years, says she loves watching the kids get motivated to work on their writing projects during the fall and spring seasons. Emily, who is just finishing up her first year as a coach, says she likes that DC SCORES gives kids an outlet they may not have otherwise. Both Cailin and Emily are incredible teachers and coaches and have done an amazing job leading the Trojans to success.

Watch the videos to learn more about their DC SCORES stories.

Creating change at Truesdell EC, part VI: Committee work!

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE.

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

The Truesdell Trojans are putting the finishing touches on their committee tasks and looking ahead to their final project.

“I’m excited,” said Ashtyn H. of the advertising committee. “We’re going to encourage people to clean up behind themselves.”

The classroom was a flurry of activity as each committee focused on its own projects. The advertising committee spent their time designing posters and slogans to promote the trash pick up competition.

“I’m want to make a poster of a person picking up trash and putting it in the trash can,” Ashtyn said.

The speaking committee clustered around a computer, typing up the speech they are going to deliver in the coming weeks to convince their fellow students to get on board with the competition.

“We’re writing this letter to let teachers know that we’ve decided to start picking up trash,” Carlos T. of the speaking committee said.

Noticeably absent for most of the meeting was the contest committee, as their task for the day was to count the number of trash cans in each bathroom on every floor. When the committee wasn’t walking up and down flights of stairs shouting how many trash bins they found, they spent their time discussing some final rules and the grand prize for their cleaning competition.

“I’m excited to see which class wins the contest,” said Steve H. of the contest committee. “The prize will probably be a goodie bag with Skittles and Hershey’s.”

The contest is all set to kick off soon and the Trojans are getting pumped to make their school a better place. After all their hard work, the competition is bound to not only create a great change at Truesdell Elementary, but also united the student body as the spring semester comes to a close.

Creating change at Truesdell EC, part V: Working in committees

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE.

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Written by Kristen Miano 
Digital Media Intern

With committees assigned and goals in mind, the Truesdell Trojans last week came together to hammer out the details of their trash pick up competition. As each committee clustered together around tables, the classroom was abuzz with ideas and brainstorming.

“We’re the contest committee,” said Robin C., age 10, “and we’re working on the rules for the contest that we’re going to have and deciding who is going to participate.”

The contest committee is tasked with not only designing the rules for the competition, but also deciding how long the competition will run for, how the team will decide the winner, and what the final prize will be.

Blessing T. of the advertising committee said her group is in charge of developing a plan to spread the word about the competition and reminding everyone to participate by picking up trash.

“We have to make a poster of people picking up trash,” Blessing said. “And we’re going to write a slogan so that people remember that when they throw trash, they should pick it up.”

The permission committee has already accomplished one of their goals —  getting permission from Truesdell principal Mary Ann Stinson to host the contest. Now, they are working on their strategies to get permission from individual classrooms and teachers to work with them to get the school cleaned up.

The final committee, the speaking committee, has a singular but tough goal — to write the speech that will explain what the competition is and why the team is holding it. The speaking committee will also deliver this speech in classrooms throughout the school, so they are busy practicing their public speaking skills as well.

With just five weeks before the end of the DC SCORES session, the Trojans still have a lot of work to do but are making great strides. The kids are getting excited to hold the competition and can see the completion of the project's goal at the end of the tunnel!

Creating change at Truesdell EC, part IV: Let the competition begin!

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE.

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

The Truesdell Trojans are getting down to business with their service-learning project to pick up the trash around their school. They’ve decided to involve their entire school by turning the project into a competition — whichever hallway of students picks up the most trash and keeps their area the cleanest will win a prize.

But there’s a lot more planning to do before the competition can get off the ground. To make the remaining tasks more manageable, the team has created committees to tackle the project head-on.

“We have the committees to complete tasks, like if we need to have speakers go to classes for our project,” said Godwell T., age 8. “I want to be on the advertising or contest committee.”

Cristella B., age 8, also would like to work on either the advertising or contest committee because she is most interested in making posters or helping to craft the rules for the competition.

“We have committees for persuasion, speaking, advertising and (the) contest,” Cristella said. “I want to see how much trash everyone picks up and pick out the prizes.”

The Trojans also learned the value of slogans for campaigns like theirs. After completing a challenge to match familiar slogans to the company of origin, the kids were asked to come up with their own slogan for their project.

“We figure students know what advertisements are based on what they’ve seen,” Emily Adams, one of the Truesdell writing coaches, said. “We want them to create their own slogan to put on posters and talk to other students about, sort of a catchphrase other students can latch onto to help make the project a success.”

The Trojans are on their way to a great project. The team is excited to get to work on creating a cleaner and brighter school for not only themselves, but all the students at Truesdell.

Creating change at Truesdell EC, Part III: Developing an action plan

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE.

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

With their project chosen and their research done, the Truesdell Trojans moved onto the next phase of their spring SCORES service-learning endeavor—developing an action plan.

“We defined what a task is and then the students brainstormed what tasks we would need in order to reach our goal,” said writing coach Cailin Eisle.

The kids broke off into discussion groups to lay out what they think they would need to do before they could get down to the business of cleaning the trash around their school. They received some hints and tips from looking over action plans developed for other service-learning projects that had seen successful.

“We’re discussing what tasks we need to do and what job each person needs to do,” explained Blessing T., age 10. “We’re just trying to sort out stuff.”

Ideas for the team’s plan of action included asking the school for permission to begin a trash pickup campaign, going to classrooms to talk to other students about the importance of cleaning up after themselves, and to begin fundraising to purchase the supplies needed achieve their goal.

By the end of their brainstorming session, the Trojans had created a long list of tasks they would need to do before their project was over. The students expressed concern over getting everything accomplished by their deadline, especially considering they had done so much work on the project already and still had so much to do.

“Sometimes, time passes fast and we may not get to finish our project,” said Nelson F., age 8.

Overwhelmingly, the students agreed that not finishing the project was not an option and they would need to work hard to make sure they kept to the schedule.

“I would feel angry because we started something and didn’t finish it,” said Antonio M, age 10.

To avoid missing the project’s deadline, the team reiterated the importance of staying focused and on task for the duration of the spring season.

With each student’s tasks in hand and a renewed commitment to their goals, the Truesdell Trojans are ready and set to get to work and clean up their school.

Creating change at Truesdell EC, Part II: Choosing the project!

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them. You can also view photos from Truesdell HERE and follow Kristen's Tweets HERE. 

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

The votes are in: The Truesdell Trojans will be cleaning up their school and encouraging others to do the same for their spring SCORES service-learning project.

“The overall project goal is to reduce the amount of trash in the building,” said Cailin Eisle, one of the Truesdell writing coaches.

Now that the team has an issue to tackle, the next phase of the project is to conduct research and construct a plan in order to achieve their goal.

To jump start the planning process, the Trojans were treated to a special guest speaker last week — Ms. Duckett of the Truesdell custodial staff.

“The students were able to brainstorm questions and ask [Ms. Duckett] questions,” Cailin said. “That will hopefully keep them engaged in their project.”

Ms. Duckett has seen the trash problem first hand at Truesdell, and had some great ideas for where the team could target their efforts as they begin working toward a cleaner school.

“The classrooms and the lunch room are the two areas with the most need for trash clean up,” Ms. Duckett said. “And paper trash is the biggest problem. School papers, homework papers, paper towels — all kinds of paper creates the most trash.”

The kids made sure to take notes about all the information Ms. Duckett provided, including what tools they can use to pick up trash, how to keep track of what work has already been done, and the best ways to motivate other students to be diligent about cleaning up.

“Ask them nicely to pick up their trash,” Ms. Duckett advised. “Also, posters that say ‘Keep your school clean’ or ‘Clean up after yourself’ could be helpful.”

After the discussion was over, the students spent some time making thank you cards for Ms. Duckett and reflecting on what they had learned.

“I learned that picking up trash doesn’t need to take too much time,” said Yocelyn M., age 10.

Bryan M. also thought Ms. Duckett had some greats bits of advice and came away from the lesson with an idea of how to move their project forward.

“We can put signs in hallways and bathrooms,” he said, “to tell [people] they don’t need to leave trash on the floor.”

The Trojans learned a great deal from Ms. Duckett’s experience and are charging ahead into their school-cleaning project armed with excellent information and some grand plans and ideas.

Creating change at Truesdell EC, Part I: Identifying the community's biggest need

During the DC SCORES spring season, each of our 44 teams go through a four-step service-learning process that involves A) Identifying problems that need addressing in their community; B) Researching one issue; C) Implementing a project to make a difference in the community; and D) Reflecting on the impact they made.

This spring, DC SCORES intern Kristen Miano is following the Truesdell Education Campus (elementary school) Trojans as they go through the service-learning process. Read below and watch each week’s video to learn how DC SCORES empowers youth to create change around them.

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Written by Kristen Miano
Digital Media Intern

Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist, once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

The Truesdell Trojans may be small, but indeed, they are committed. As a part of the spring season with DC SCORES, the students have come together to work on a service-learning project that will better their community.

“Our students get this huge confidence boost seeing that they came up with an idea, and it happened, that they did it and helped other people,” said writing coach Emily Adams, who is guiding the students through the 12-week service-learning process.

The first part of the process is identifying an issue in the community to focus on. After two weeks together, the Trojans are close to choosing their project.

Class last Wednesday kicked off with an anonymous vote. The students voted on a variety of choices, including a project involving homelessness, a plan for a community garden, and a petition to work on the nutrition available at their school.

The votes are being tallied and the results will be announced this week.

In the meantime, the Trojans settled in to learn about the importance of staying committed to the project they will eventually work on. The team divided into groups to read a poem describing a situation in which people who promised to work on a project never quite followed through. The groups were asked to write about what they learned or thought was important about the poem to share with the rest of the class.

“The poem said we should always do our work and not wait for someone else to do it,” said Blessing T.

Overall, the class felt the poem was telling them to work hard, stay on target, and never give up -- helpful messages to remember for when they officially begin work on changing their community!